"I understand your feelings, but you had a hundred years to find a way to prevent things from ending like this. You chose not to seek avenues of peaceful dialogue with the Fire Nation, despite having every opportunity to do so. The outcome was inevitable. Not because I'm some villain who decided to break into your home, but because those are the realities of a large-scale war. But let's return to the matter at hand. This love of yours—how strong is it? What are you willing to do for the good of your people?"
"Ha!" the waterbender barked loudly. "And why should I be willing to do anything 'for' them? I've already fulfilled my duty to my people, and if you think you can talk me into serving you, then find someone younger and stupider!"
"Yes, your age certainly shows in your skill with words," I nodded calmly. A few days ago, I would probably have grown nervous that my client was slipping off the hook, but now I was simply too tired to bother working myself up emotionally. Too much had landed on my plate for me to waste energy worrying about this as well. In the end, I really could do exactly as he suggested.
"But as I just said, let's not turn this conversation into a pointless argument." I fell silent, watching the old man expectantly.
"Hm..." he drawled after several seconds of staring me down, during which neither of us spoke a word. "Very well... let's not." Pakku relented through gritted teeth—or at least tried to make it seem that way. "So? What is it you're after?"
"An answer to my question," I replied, stating what seemed obvious.
"What is wrong with this generation?! Do they not teach young people any respect for their elders anymore?" the waterbender launched into an open provocation.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the wave of indignation that rippled through the officers. Even Zuko looked outraged by such brazen behavior from a prisoner. Only Iroh remained completely unreadable and unperturbed, likely having already realized that I had no intention of burning anyone alive over an ill-considered remark.
Then again, given his experience—including interrogations and conversations with high-ranking prisoners—it might simply have been force of habit, though I found that harder to believe.
As for Pakku's actions, no, this wasn't merely a test of boundaries. Or rather, not only that. Throughout the entire conversation, he had been studying my character, and now he had moved on to the final test. After all, what reveals a person better than a loss of self-control?
He couldn't exactly get me drunk enough to loosen my tongue, so he was trying to strip away my restraint by other means. And what is the easiest way to anger a young man? Naturally, by dismissing him because of his age. Simple. Predictable.
What would someone like Zhao have done in response to such an insult? Exactly what you'd expect—he would have ordered the old man flayed alive and covered in salt, or simply killed him on the spot in a fit of rage, which would have been even better from the prisoner's perspective.
An old, battle-hardened warrior who had held the title of waterbending master longer than I had been alive—what fear of death could a man like that possibly have? No, the greater fear would be betraying his principles, acting against his own sense of honor. I had suspected as much already, and now I had confirmation. So dying after refusing to cooperate with the enemy would be a perfectly honorable end.
From his point of view, at least.
"You're mistaken. I do respect you," I replied evenly. "The skill and power you displayed while defending your city are worthy of genuine respect in their own right. Any true warrior of the Fire Nation would agree with me. However, the fact that you still can't get a hold of yourself and master your emotions is steadily eroding that respect." I emphasized the final words.
"Fine." The elder instantly turned serious, wiping away every trace of his earlier indignation and confirming my suspicions about the provocation. "You want to know what I'm willing to do for my people. I'll answer. But only after you answer the same question."
"Ultimatums..." I forced a faint smile onto my face. He had just handed me such a wonderful opportunity for free publicity that it would have been a sin not to smile, even if I was barely feeling any emotions at all. "No one likes ultimatums. Especially those who hold power... But I'll answer. For my people, I am willing to threaten the Great Ocean Spirit, burn in dragonfire, and propose to Lord Ozai that the people of the Northern Water Tribe be accepted into the army. And I've already done two of those things. Whether I do the third... depends in part on you as well."
"What...?" the old man breathed, stunned.
Then again, even without him, the astonishment hanging in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"I'll be frank. Right now, the only thing standing between your people and complete annihilation is me."
I broke eye contact with the waterbender and swept my gaze across the frozen officers, taking particular note of how attentively Zuko and Iroh were listening. Then I walked to the window, which offered an excellent view of the city's lower tiers and its defensive walls, now almost entirely destroyed.
"Admiral Zhao intended to exterminate every last member of the Northern Water Tribe. Children, women, the elderly... everyone. The admiral is dead now, but his fleet still stands outside the city, and his officers command the landing forces. Of course, not all of them share his views, but no one enjoys having problems dumped onto their shoulders. That's simply human nature. And here..."
I paused, raising my eyes to the sky.
"The solution is so simple. Just one dispatch to the Capital explaining that holding the Northern Pole is not considered practical, and that's it. No problems with prisoners, rebels, or proud avengers. The soldiers will carry out their orders, take a few trophies as keepsakes, and six months later, in the warm barracks of the Earth Kingdom, they'll have forgotten all about the snow-buried ice city and the red waters flowing through its canals. And for all of that to happen, only one thing is required—that I step aside."
(End of Chapter)
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